HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives and Senate take
1-2 great pleasure in joining the citizens of El Paso in the
1-3 celebration of El Paso Days at the State Capitol on February 6-7,
1-4 2001; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Platted in 1859, the city takes its name from its
1-6 legendary location, El Paso del Norte, the Pass of the North; and
1-7 WHEREAS, Now Texas' fourth-largest city, El Paso is noted for
1-8 its fascinating union of cultures, languages, and history; its
1-9 precincts include Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, home of Tigua Indians who
1-10 moved to the area from New Mexico about 1680; and
1-11 WHEREAS, The U.S. Army post Fort Bliss was established in the
1-12 area in 1848; today more than 15,000 active military personnel are
1-13 assigned to the base, which is the largest air defense training
1-14 center in the world; and
1-15 WHEREAS, In addition to its military ties, El Paso is known
1-16 as the primary health care center for much of the southwestern
1-17 United States and northern Mexico, and it offers medical services
1-18 at five private hospitals, one public hospital, Texas Tech
1-19 University Health Science Center, and William Beaumont Army Medical
1-20 Center; and
1-21 WHEREAS, The city provides myriad academic and job-training
1-22 opportunities to its population through the comprehensive
1-23 curriculums offered at such noted educational institutions as The
1-24 University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso Community College, and the
2-1 Center for Workforce Preparedness; and
2-2 WHEREAS, Ideally situated regarding transportation, El
2-3 Pasoans enjoy easy access to two international airports, two
2-4 interstate highways, four international ports of entry, and three
2-5 rail providers; and
2-6 WHEREAS, The El Paso-Juarez, Mexico, metropolis makes up the
2-7 largest border community in the world and continues to draw both
2-8 business and tourism; the region's unprecedented economic growth is
2-9 due in large part to its appealing blend of a skilled workforce,
2-10 diverse cultures, welcoming residents, and a temperate climate; and
2-11 WHEREAS, El Paso boasts the world's largest Harley-Davidson
2-12 motorcycle dealership and is home base for numerous companies that
2-13 have achieved national and worldwide success, including Continental
2-14 Airlines, Old El Paso Foods, and the Hilton Hotel chain, founded by
2-15 former El Pasoan Conrad Hilton; and
2-16 WHEREAS, Also headquartered in El Paso is the League of
2-17 United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a nationally recognized
2-18 civil rights organization founded in Texas in 1929; and
2-19 WHEREAS, Set in a beautiful desert landscape dominated by the
2-20 Franklin Mountains, the city of El Paso offers an array of cultural
2-21 and recreational activities that range from the impressive Kress
2-22 Collection at the El Paso Museum of Art to world-class Mexican
2-23 food; the city can also lay claim to fame as the birthplace of a
2-24 widely popular beverage, the margarita, which was created by former
2-25 resident Francisco Pancho Morales; throughout the year sports
2-26 enthusiasts enjoy an exciting schedule of events featuring
2-27 variously the El Paso Diablos baseball team, the El Paso Buzzards
3-1 hockey team, and the El Paso Patriots soccer team; and
3-2 WHEREAS, Natives of this westernmost Texas city have achieved
3-3 acclaim in many areas of endeavor, including entertainment,
3-4 journalism, and the law; among those who have risen to prominence
3-5 are United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor,
3-6 entertainer Debbie Reynolds, newsman Sam Donaldson, Star Trek
3-7 creator Gene Roddenberry, ventriloquist Ronn Lucas, Texas rock and
3-8 roll pioneer Bobby Fuller, and singer Florencia Bisenta de Casillas
3-9 Martinez Cardona, better known as Vikki Carr; El Paso's sister
3-10 city, Juarez, Mexico, is the hometown of internationally known
3-11 recording artist Juan Gabriel; and
3-12 WHEREAS, The residents of El Paso take justifiable pride in
3-13 their city's rich and colorful history and enthusiastically
3-14 anticipate the challenges and opportunities of the coming years,
3-15 and it is indeed a joy to salute them and their fine city; now,
3-16 therefore, be it
3-17 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
3-18 hereby recognize February 6-7, 2001, as El Paso Days at the State
3-19 Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the residents of this historic
3-20 and dynamic city.
Najera
Pickett
Haggerty
Moreno of El Paso
Chavez
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 2 was adopted by the House on March
29, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 2 was adopted by the Senate on May
26, 2001, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________________
Date
__________________________
Governor